Le Metier - now in store

LE MÉTIER IS AN HONEST AND SOMETIMES TOUCHING LOOK INTO THE LIFE, THE TRIALS AND THE TRIBULATIONS AS WELL AS THE TRIUMPHS, OF A CYCLING DOMESTIQUE.

As a professional cyclist, Barry has lived the dream that many an aspiring racer covets – worldwide travel in the heady atmosphere of professional bike racing and all that it brings. Michael is also a pro cycling rarity in that he has an immense talent for writing and it is the coupling of these two aspects of his life that are now captivating readers of his books and print and online columns.

His poignant prose, which has also been featured in the New York Times, and Camille’s atmospheric photography create a volume that gives the reader a rare glance into the fascinating and occasionally strange world of professional cycling. Such writing and emotion can be felt through many of the book’s passages: “In the middle of the peloton, there is a surge in speed. With it the riders move into a long single line and each one of us jumps out of the saddle to accelerate. The increase in pain is uniform throughout the bunch. Each rider feels a burn in his legs. Our expressions twist into grimaces as our bodies tense with the stress of the effort.

To attain the level of fitness to achieve abnormal physical heights, each rider has committed his life to the races. The spectators and the television audience who watch us from a distance cannot see the professional cyclist’s suffering and sacrifice.”